1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an anticontamination cover for covering a catheter for gastrostomy (hereinafter, referred to as “gastrostomy catheter”) to protect the gastrostomy catheter from biotic contamination when the gastrostomy catheter is inserted through the oral cavity into the stomach for percutaneous, endoscopic gastrostomy.
2. Description of the Related Art
A gastric fistula is formed through the abdominal wall by percutaneous, endoscopic gastrostomy to give nourishment through the intestine to a patient incapable of oral ingestion. Surgical formation of a gastric fistula by percutaneous, endoscopic gastrostomy is carried out using local anesthetic. A surgical operation for percutaneous, endoscopic gastrostomy can be completed in a short time in the range of 5 to 10 min and the patient recovers in a short period.
Surgical formation of a gastric fistula by percutaneous, endoscopic gastrostomy needs an operation to pass a gastrostomy catheter by way of the mouth, the larynx and the pharynx into the stomach. While the gastrostomy catheter is being passed through the mouth into the stomach, the tube and the dome of the gastrostomy catheter touch the mouth, larynx and pharynx and are contaminated with bacteria.
If a gastric fistula is formed by passing a gastrostomy catheter having a tube and a dome contaminated with bacteria through fistulas formed in the abdominal wall and the gastric wall, the fistulas formed in the abdominal wall and the gastric wall will be contaminated with bacteria. Thus the wounded parts around the fistulas are infected with bacteria and the patient needs to take an antibiotic for a long term to heal the infected, wounded parts. Consequently, gastrostomy takes many days and starting giving nourishment through the intestine is delayed.
An anticontamination cover for protecting a gastrostomy catheter to prevent the infection of wounded parts around fistulas by a gastrostomy catheter is mentioned in JP-A No. 126302 (Patent document 1). This known anticontamination cover covers a gastrostomy catheter entirely to prevent the tube and the dome of the gastrostomy catheter from directly touching the mouth, the larynx and the pharynx to prevent the bacterial contamination of the wounded parts around the fistulas.
This known anticontamination cover includes an elongate tubular bag having opposite open ends, a ligature thread for ligating the open end of the tubular bag, and a cutting thread having strength higher than that of the ligature thread and connected to the ligature thread.
This known anticontamination cover receives a gastrostomy catheter therein with a catheter loop attached to the extremity of the gastrostomy catheter projecting from the open end. The open end from which the catheter loop is projecting is ligated by the ligature thread to prevent the direct contact of the tube and the dome of the gastrostomy catheter held in the tubular bag with the mouth, the larynx and the pharynx.
A knot is formed in the open end of the tubular bag tied by the ligature thread. The knot of the ligature thread is contaminated with bacteria while the gastrostomy catheter covered with the anticontamination cover is passed by way of the mouth, the larynx and the pharynx into the stomach. The tube and the dome of the gastrostomy catheter come into direct contact with bacteria adhering to the knot and are contaminated with bacteria when the knot of the ligature thread is untied and the anticontamination cover is removed from the gastrostomy catheter.
In passing the gastrostomy catheter covered with the known anticontamination cover through the mouth into the stomach, the open end of the anticontamination cover is closed by the ligature thread and a guide wire is connected to the catheter loop attached to the extremity of the gastrostomy catheter. If the knot of the ligature thread closing the open end of the tubular bag is loose, it is possible that the anticontamination cover separates from the gastrostomy catheter and cannot exercise its protective function. Consequently, the tube and the dome of the gastrostomy catheter are contaminated with bacteria.